Here Come the Elves in Black!
by Chibi Legolas
Summary: The elves have an "underground" Foundation, bent on doing good for the 21st century world. However, a new industrial tycoon by the name of Sauron Industries threatens their vision! (R&R PLEASE!!)
1. Default Chapter

Chibi Legolas: You'll have to thank Chibi Froddie for this story. It was her brilliant idea! ^_^  
  
___________---------------------_____________---------------------- ____________  
  
The sun rose blood red over a city landscape of steel, glass, and cement; to some, it was a threatening omen of things yet to come.  
  
Elrond sat before a thermos of steaming coffee, his eyes glued to a small glowing screen. Not good news; it never was. Frowning, he absently poured himself a mug of the thin, dark liquid. It was bitter in his mouth and scorched his throat. Arwen had forgotten the sugar again, he realized with a sigh. He pushed it distastefully away from him.  
  
The door was pushed open and the lights flickered on. There came a startled gasp behind him, and Elrond turned with a slight smile to face Legolas who had just come in. "Why were you sitting in the dark?"  
  
Elrond didn't answer, but turned back to the tiny television set."They haven't found him." His face seemed suddenly careworn. "We'll have to double security on Frodo." He said it more to himself than he did to Legolas, who was peering silently over his shoulder.  
  
"Is Glorfindel in charge of that?"  
  
"No. Not anymore." The old dark-haired elf brought a hand thoughtfully to his chin. "I'm taking that task upon myself." A smile slowly broke across his lips. He knew just the man... elf, rather...to help him.  
  
------------------ ------------------- ------------------  
  
Light glinted off of the dark sunglasses that wrapped around Haldir's pale head. Clothed in a slick ebony suit, he looked painfully out of place on the broad front porch of a house that could have been made of gingerbread. He impatiently tapped a shiny black shoe on the creaky wooden planks. Birds flitted around the front yard. They were singing. He could almost smile; he liked birds.  
  
Just then, the screen door slammed behind him, causing him to swing quickly around.  
  
"Sorry I made you wait so long." Elrond walked up to stand beside him. His shirt, bereft of its dark cut dress jacket, showed blindingly white in the afternoon sun. "How are you?"  
  
He peaked over the rim of his glasses and arched one ivory brow. "As I am usually." He said in his distinct, raspy voice. He knew when Elrond had something troubling him, and this was one of those times. "What is it?"  
  
The elder elf turned now, and they were face to face. "Frodo Baggins, heir to Shire Park and the Baggins fortune, must be protected at all costs. Our progress depends upon it."  
  
Haldir's nod was solemn. "Indeed."  
  
"I have placed myself on this task. Now, I am placing you as well on it." He added, glancing at Haldir out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help but to smile at Haldir's expression of surprise.  
  
"We are the Foundation's best agents, Lord Elrond!..."  
  
"Exactly. And this means that young Mr. Baggins' life shall be secured." He held up a key encased in black plastic and narrowed his slanted eyes. "Every necesity, every luxury has been seen to. You start on the morrow, bright and early on this new mission." With that, he dropped the key into Haldir's spread palm. The pale-haired elf wore a frown.  
  
__________-------------------___________-------------------___________  
  
Chibi Legolas: Ok! I just started this out. Chibi Froddie! Thank her for the idea, really. I'm just playing along. Sounds interesting, no? Please review and tell us what you think, as it keeps us going and motivated. :) Thankies!  
  
P.S. Forgive us our spelling mistakes, as we no longer have a Spell Check. I will try to weed out typos, but I cannot promise perfection. Sorry, folks! :( 


	2. The Lure

"Dear Mr. Frodo Baggins:  
  
We regret to hear of your uncle's disappearance, but are concerned with..."  
  
So began another letter. Frodo let a frown interrupt his reading. "Oh, what are they talking about this time? Surely they want something.... Someone always does." He set the paper on the desk with a sigh and leaned back in his chair. "And Uncle Bilbo hasn't disappeared... he's just... gone." Frodo blinked and turned towards the window, the morning of a new day already started hours ago. And he? Still reading sympathy letters and trying to decide what to do.  
  
"All right, uncle, have it your way: you disappeared. But tell me what I am to do! If I am to inherit ShireParks... WHich it seems so and only too soon... What is it I do?" He let out another exasperrated sigh and turned back to the letter. "Let's see...concerned...concerned about the future of ShirePark..." Frodo's voice grew quiet as he began to read mentally. Behind him, Merry slid through the big old doors of the study.  
  
"Hello Frodo! Nice morning, eh?" Merry grinned and set the tray of toast, eggs, and milk on the table.  
  
Frodo, startled a bit, turned to look at Merry. "Oh yes, quite lovely." He sighed once more, though, revealing that his heart was heavy.  
  
"Well, I brought you a bit of second breakfast to cheer you up, coz." Merry patted Frodo on the back. "Letters again today?"  
  
"Yes... and so many..." Frodo tossed the one in his hand to the table. "And they all say the same thing! It is so awfully boring and frustrating, but it must be done."  
  
Merry hopped onto a chair and grabbed a handful of envelopes. "Well, I'll help you then. I've got nothing better to do, to say the least." He let out a nervous chuckle. "Eat Frodo! You hardly touched your dinner last night as it was."  
  
Frodo smiled grimly at his cousin, who was there to offer hiim some support in this family crisis. "You are beginning to sound like Sam. I'm just worried about Uncle Bilbo... I don't like not knowing where he is." Frodo picked up the toast and began to nibble at it.  
  
"I know, Frodo, I know..." Merry glanced at him worriedly and then back to the letters. "Eh... what's this one?" Merry drew out an envelope with a red eye stamped in the corner. Around the large eye, he read: "Eye on the World." Merry looked back to Frodo and handed him the letter. "That's peculiar, isn't it?... It's from a 'Sauron Industries'..."  
  
Frodo set down his fork and took the letter curiously. "Now... what could they want?" He opened the white envelope and pulled out the letter. It said basically what the other letters had stated, yet in the second paragraph, they offered to send an advisor to Froso. "Why... Merry! They are being most kind..." He smiled. "They offered to send an advisor; someone who can help me along and get started with this new responsibility. What do you thing, Merry?"  
  
Merry leaned back. "Well, being one of your advisors as it is..." He paused and chuckled. "When can we arrange to meet this fellow?"  
  
"Well... it says to reply and send to... Sauruman." Frodo paused. "I've heard of him. He's the representative for Sauron Industries."  
  
"Right then, let's start replying and meeting him. The sooner, the better... Because I'm not sure how to advise you in this situation."  
  
Frodo laughed lightly for the first time in many days. "Merry, where would I be without you?"  
  
"Starving to death, for one thing! Come on now, time to get serious." The two of them went right to work writing the letter.  
  
Far away, across the city, Sauruman stood at his window smiling, awaiting the expected reply.  
  
---------------------------________________---------------------------- ______________------------------------------  
  
Chibi Legolas: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Chibi Froddie wrote this chapter. ^_^ In't great?! I posted it here with permission. More coming soon! Take care ^_^ 


	3. Logistics

"We are a good company..." came the crackled voice from the radio speaker. "With good people, opening opportunities for you!....Sauron Industries: 'Eye on the World!'"  
  
Elrond switched it off in the midst of cheesy music that followed the droning voice of the ad. He didn't like it one bit... It reminded him of something half-forgotten.  
  
He got out of his little red Buick and waited.  
  
Around twenty minutes later,a sleek black car pulled into the lot next to his. Elrond had taken a seat on a nearby park bench. The morning air was cool, dew still raw on the city grass. With a smirk, Elrond crossed his legs as the driver of the black vehicle approached. "You're late." He accused, but the tone was playful.  
  
Haldir frowned, something he was becoming more and more accustomed to doing. "I am still not used to driving that thing..." He indicated the exquisite machine with a careless wave of his hand.  
  
"Well, you'll need that car soon... In the... days to come." He studied Haldir for a moment. "I don't suppose you know anything about this mission, do you?"  
  
He let out a cynical sort of laugh. "This mission? No, never about any that I've ever been put on. I don't even know really who it is I work for." He put his fists on his hips and looked down at Elrond expectantly. "Am I finally about to get some answers?"  
  
"I guess you're entitled to some, yes." The older elf pulled the dark glasses from his face and gave Haldir a pitying look before speaking. "As you know, the believed-to-be dead Mr. Baggins had been receiving threats, both electronically and by post."  
  
Haldir nodded silently.  
  
"Now, ShirePark is a laboratory set up by the late Bilbo Baggins, and is intended for the betterment of civilization and environmental studies. It is the old Baggins fortune that had kept the laboratories afloat in years that have been rough economically." Here, Elrond stopped and motioned towards a brick pathway that led off into the park. "Shall we?" At Haldir's nod, he stood and they began to walk.  
  
"A new strain of corn, among other food, particularly strains of vegetables, was developed there. This corn would bear harvest twice a year, and can grow in some of the harshest of climates. Naturally, it was greatly lauded." He stopped and turned to Haldir, his voice grown extremely stern. "This one innovation could hold the key to solving world hunger. The tests are still being carried out, but already this single product alone has brought incredible wealth and amounts of offers to ShirePark laboratories. The formulas for this, and all other experiments, are kept top-secret."  
  
All of this was being soaked into Haldir's brain. His face remained expressionless.  
  
"As you can imagine," Elrond continued, "many corporations would love to get their greedy human hands on this company... The thing is, ShirePark also funds ELF, the Environmental- and Life-protection Foundation..."  
  
"We are a part of ShirePark?!" Haldir sounded incredulous.  
  
"It is confidential information, but you should know, I think..." He trailed off thoughtfully. They walked a little more ways before Elrond began again. "We cannot let this company fall into any other's hands besides those of Baggins' nephew... Young Mr. Frodo. He's the only one that I feel will allow us to continue on the way we have been doing." Elrond smiled faintly.  
  
"Well..." Haldir sighed. "I know now... Much of what I did not know before. Everything makes more sense with that knowledge."  
  
Elrond turned his head and laughed. "You have no idea!"  
  
---------------_____________------------------____________----------------  
  
To be continued... 


End file.
